A New Day for Operation Turkey

ACTS is pleased to announce that Operation Turkey '16 is well under way, and this year will bring forth some great, new changes. For those who might be unfamiliar with this event, Operation Turkey is traditionally our largest food drive for our neighbors in need of food for Thanksgiving. Our food pantry provides clients with standard Thanksgiving dinner staples such as stuffing and canned vegetables, while also giving out vouchers for turkeys. In recent years, Operation Turkey has taken place over the span of just a few days, but this year, the event will run from November 1st through November 18th. During this time, clients are eligible to receive bags of food for their families the day that they register through our Emergency Assistance program, which means that they will not have to wait until the end of the month, nor will they have to wait in line. This will ultimately decrease the traffic in our area and allow us to more effectively give out meals for the holiday. But there are so many things that you can do to help us make this Thanksgiving Day for our neighbors in need:

We include typical canned and boxed food to complete a Thanksgiving meal. Examples of this include:

Green Beans

Sweet Potatoes

Box Pie Crust

Boxes of Mac and Cheese

Corn

Biscuit Mix

Stuffing Mix

Pumpkin Pie Mix

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy Packets or Jars

Cranberry Sauce

Please bring all donated food to our pantry location at the ACTS Family Services Center: 17950 Dr. David Cline Lane in Dumfries during these drop off hours:

Monday: 9-11:30am / 1-3pm

Tuesday: 1-3:30pm / 5-6:30pm

Thursday: 9-11:30am / 1-3pm

Fridays: 9-11:30am

If your school or church would like to request posters or promotional materials, please contact Administrative Coordinator Ethan Vick at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or simply print one out using the following link: Operation_Turkey_Poster_I.pdf

We will need your help to accept donations, unload trucks, and make and distribute Operation Turkey bags. Volunteer Dates begin November 1st. Detailed shift information can be found through our website or through our Facebook page. If you have any questions about volunteering or donations, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Jane Anderson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or sign up for a position through this link.

Volunteers make all the difference for Operation Turkey

For Clients

If you or your family is need of food for your Thanksgiving meal, we can help. Simply visit ACTS' Family Services Center (listed above) and meet with one of our Case Managers to apply for Operation Turkey. A list of items you will need to bring with you can be found here. If you are already a client of our Emergency Assistance program and have already received food for the month of November, you are still eligible to receive an Operation Turkey bag.

Last year, with the help of our community partners, we managed to give out over 25,000 lbs of food to 794 families. At ACTS, we always strive to make each year more successful than the last, and any contribution that you, your school, or your church can make towards helping these families is so appreciated. Help us to make this Thanksgiving Day one of the best for our Prince William County neighbors.

About the author

Ethan Vick is the Administrative Coordinator at ACTS. He attended East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in the field of English Education. He has been with the organization since October of 2015, and was originally employed with the Thrift Store. He now contributes to ACTS' blog, as well as provides weekly editorials for ACTS' staff called "What Up Wednesdays."